Electronic Shipping Solutions announced the appointment of BIMCO’s Grant Hunter to the Executive Committee of the ESS-Databridge Development Group (DDG). An acknowledged expert on bills of lading, Grant is Chief Documentary Affairs Officer at BIMCO and is responsible for the development, revision and promotion of BIMCO’s wide range of standard contracts and clauses. The DDG was established in 2005 principally to act as a forum for users to participate in the development of ESS’s secure document exchange, the ESS-Databridge. The executive committee directs the future development of the Exchange and acts as a body to encourage industry adoption of shipping eDocs.

The Executive Committee of the DDG is responsible for the overall management and control of the DDG in accordance with the terms and conditions of a DDG Charter as well as in collecting and disseminating user feedback on the ESS-Databridge. Alex Goulandris, Chief Executive Officer of ESS said: “I am delighted that Grant is joining the DDG executive committee team. ESS has always sought to draw on the expertise of individuals from within the shipping and trade arenas for membership of the DDG. Grant’s experience as Documentary Officer and Contractual Affairs Officer at BIMCO will be highly relevant and extremely beneficial for the DDG and will help to ensure that the ESS-Databridge is developed to the benefit of all shipping interests.”

Grant has worked for BIMCO since 1997. Previous roles include five years at sea with The Ben Line and eight years working ashore in the commercial and operations department of P&O Bulk Shipping in London. Grant has a Masters degree in maritime policy and law from the London School of Economics. Recent projects at BIMCO include the development of its Standard Shipbuilding Contract, NEWBUILDCON, the revision of the widely used SHIPMAN Standard Shipmanagement Agreement and revision of widely used bills of lading such as CONGENBILL 2007 and CONLINEBILL 2000.

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